THE DIVINE RYANS (1999) / ***
Directed by Stephen Reynolds. Screenplay by Wayne Johnston, based on his novel. Starring Jordan Harvey, Robert Joy, Pete Postlethwaite. Running time: 93 minutes. Rated AA by the MFCB. Reviewed on August 29th, 2001.
By SHANNON PATRICK SULLIVAN
Synopsis: Just days after young Draper Doyle Ryan's birthday surprise for his father (Joy) goes mysteriously awry, the elder Ryan is dead. Draper (Harvey) is haunted by nightmares, while his mother Linda (Wendel Meldrum) must contend with her strict Catholic inlaws, who want Draper and his sister raised in proper Ryan tradition. When Draper begins to experience visions of his father's ghost, only Uncle Reg (Postlethwaite), the black sheep of the Ryans, may be able to help him come to terms with his father's death.
Review: Although set in Newfoundland, "The Divine Ryans" draws as much from the national passion for hockey as from anything specific to the Rock. As such, it should prove more accessible to mainstream audiences than many movies originating in this province. That's not to say that "The Divine Ryans" isn't a distinctively Newfoundland movie: Reynolds makes great use of St John's-area locations (mostly in the city's venerable Downtown core), and the humour and characters are unmistakable for anyone who has visited these shores. Like most major Newfoundland pictures, "The Divine Ryans" features familiar local faces, including Mary Walsh ("This Hour Has 22 Minutes"). But it is British import Postlethwaite who really steals the show, lighting up the screen as eccentric but kindly Uncle Reg. Harvey, in the pivotal role, offers a fine debut performance, though his inexperience is clear on occasion when he looks as though he's mostly reciting lines. Joy's role in the movie is too small, denying us a better glimpse of the relationship between Draper and his father which is key to the story. And though the production as a whole is accomplished, there are moments of letdown, such as the ludicrous realisation of the "Momataur" which haunts Draper's dreams. Still, "The Divine Ryans" is touching and funny, and distinguishes itself from more commonplace coming-of-age films.
Copyright © 2001 Shannon Patrick Sullivan. Archived at The Popcorn Gallery, http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies.html
| Shannon Patrick Sullivan | shannon@mun.ca | +---------------------------------+---------------------------------+ / Doctor Who: A Brief History of Time (Travel) go.to/drwho-history \ \__ We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars __/
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